Conservative and Bloc Members of Parliament (MPs) are pushing for an urgent meeting of the House of Commons public safety committee to investigate espionage accusations against a former Canadian intern detained by Belgian authorities on suspicion of spying.
“This situation is alarming and raises significant concerns regarding the screening processes for national security in Canada,” expressed Conservative MP Frank Caputo in a statement on Thursday. The parliament needs to assess whether there were deficiencies in Canada’s security screening mechanisms that could have exposed sensitive information or jeopardized the security of Canada and its allies.
The intern in question, Biwei Zhang, had been working at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium. While the Belgian officials did not disclose her identity, a CBC News investigation identified her as Zhang, a systems engineer with an economics background.
Zhang’s public profile indicates she had prior employment with the Canadian Space Agency and Statistics Canada. European security sources, including Reuters, reported that the intern had allegedly displayed suspicious conduct that attracted the attention of NATO’s internal security services. Reports from Belgian media suggested that Zhang was overly inquisitive about her colleagues, frequently accessed restricted areas, and obtained files beyond her official duties in SHAPE’s IT Department.
Zhang is currently in custody under Belgian security authorities, with the accusations against her yet to be proven in court.
A statement by Caputo mentioned that the committee will investigate how Zhang secured an internship at NATO’s military headquarters, the extent of security screening conducted before granting her access, whether any concerns were raised by Canadian or allied authorities, and whether adequate monitoring was in place.
“The public safety minister has committed to scrutinizing Canada’s security screening procedures and uncovering the truth behind this incident. Canadians deserve transparency, and Parliament has a duty to demand answers,” Caputo emphasized.
The situation has prompted scrutiny of Canada’s security screening protocols. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree stated that security officials will investigate whether Zhang had connections to Canadian agencies.
“We must delve into the core of this matter and ensure that such incidents are prevented in the future,” remarked Anandasangaree last month.
Prime Minister Mark Carney previously hinted that Canadian security officials were not blindsided by the arrest.